Handgun Ammo

Choose Your Particular Handgun Ammo Caliber Below

History of Handgun Ammunition
By Sam Jacobs

Handgun ammo has evolved over time, now encompassing countless cartridges used in thousands of firearms. The two most popular cartridges of handgun ammunition are the 45 ACP and 9mm, which is properly known as the 9x19mm Parabellum. The 9x19mm Parabellum is the world’s most commonly used cheap handgun ammunition by far, currently employed by more than 60% of the world’s police agencies.

When it comes to stopping power, the 45 ACP cartridge is one of the most well-known and widely available cartridges in existence with significant stopping power. The cartridge combines excellent accuracy and strong stopping power with a low muzzle flash and manageable recoil. The .45 ACP is also known to lengthen the lifespan of firearms that use it because it has a chamber pressure lower than 21,000 psi.

The United States Military decided in the early 1900s that a .45-caliber was needed in all pistols used in combat. Thus, they requested that Colt build a 45 caliber cartridge that could be used by the Calvary. Colt delivered the following year by offering the 45 ACP as the newest and most powerful handgun cartridge.

The 9MM semi-auto luger became the official sidearm of the German Military during World War II, spurring a drastic rise in popularity of the 9mm ammunition. NATO cordially announced the 9x19mm Parabellum as their official pistol cartridge in 1955, and three decades later, the U.S. followed NATO’s lead by retiring the .45 ACP and adopting the Parabellum as the standard U.S. Military pistol cartridge. While there are people that debated the decision, by the early 1990s, 9mm ammunition was being sold anywhere you could find cheap handgun ammo.

Other than the 9mm and the 45 ACP, the 380 ACP is perhaps the third most common handgun ammunition available. Used by law enforcement and civilians worldwide, this cartridge makes up for its lack of stopping power by offering maneuverability and usability in a lightweight and compact solution. Thus, it has been used as a backup cartridge by many police agencies around the world, especially in highly populated urban areas where the need for a lightweight lower-powered pistol is present.

Although there is an abundance of handgun ammunition for sale, the three types discussed above are not only popular, but play a major contributing role in the history of handguns.